Comedy actor John Clive dead at 79

British comedy actor and author John Clive has died aged 79, his family says.

The entertainer, who was the voice of John Lennon in Yellow Submarine and who appeared in Carry On films, the Clockwork Orange, the Italian Job and Pink Panther movies, died on Sunday after a short illness.

His career encompassed film, TV, theatre and he was an international bestselling author in later life.

He most famously appeared alongside Michael Caine in the original 1969 version of the Italian Job - in a scene that was ad-libbed by the pair.

A year earlier he voiced the part of John Lennon in Yellow Submarine - a role that was controversially kept under wraps after the Beatles chose not to provide their own voices.

In 1971 he played the role of 'Tormenter', where he asked lead character Alex to "lick his boots" in cult classic A Clockwork Orange.

Despite such high profile roles, he is perhaps best known for his extensive work in British comedy - appearing in four of the much loved Carry On films and two Pink Panther movies.

He also appeared in such series as Rising Damp, The Sweeney and The Dick Emery Show.

His writing career resulted in the international bestseller KG200 and other similar 'fiction-based on fact' books such as The Last Liberator, Barossa and another bestseller Broken Wings.

Clive is survived by two children from his first marriage - Alex and Hannah, a stepson Deane, and his second wife Bryony.